Toyota Motor Corporation has revealed its participation in the Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy 2023, a 10-hour endurance race scheduled for December 22 and 23 at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit.
Toyota will field a three-vehicle lineup for Rookie Racing featuring innovative concepts, including the ORC Rookie GR86 CNF, a GR86 powered by carbon-neutral fuel; the ORC Rookie GR Corolla H2, a hydrogen-powered Corolla; and the CP Rookie Prius CNF-HEV GR, a Prius HEV running on carbon-neutral fuel. Notably, this marks the first time Toyota will compete with a production Prius HEV (hybrid electric vehicle).
Additionally, three vehicles from Toyota Gazoo Racing team Thailand—the Corolla, 86, and Yaris—will run on carbon-neutral fuel. Toyota is committed to expanding motorsports-related options for achieving carbon neutrality in collaboration with its Asian partners.
In its pursuit of a carbon-neutral society, Toyota is actively participating in the Super Taikyu series with hydrogen-powered and carbon-neutral fuel-driven vehicles. The GR86 and hydrogen-powered Corolla previously competed in the 2022 Thailand 25H Endurance Race, and in the upcoming Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy, Toyota introduces an HEV, recognising its effectiveness in achieving carbon neutrality in the Asian context, especially in Thailand.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has been refining its Racing Hybrid technology through participation in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). In this race, Toyota aims to apply racing technology to the Prius, further refining HEV technology that combines driving enjoyment and fuel efficiency.
Collaborating with Mr. Kachorn Chiaravanont, a Prius driver and member of the Executive Committee of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), Toyota is advancing efforts to achieve a carbon-neutral society in Thailand. CP is a partner working toward carbon neutrality, and True Leasing Co., Ltd., of which Chiaravanont is the President, is contributing to these efforts.
In the Thailand 10-hour Endurance Race, biogas generated from CP’s poultry farm chicken manure and food waste from Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co. (TDEM) will be used as part of the fuel for the hydrogen-powered Corolla. Additionally, a fuel cell (FC) drone, developed in collaboration with CP for hydrogen production and transportation experiments, will be unveiled at the event. These initiatives demonstrate Toyota’s commitment to expanding hydrogen utilisation models, starting in Thailand and extending across Asia.
